10 Health Benefits Of Taking A Holiday

10 Health Benefits of taking a Holiday Everyone enjoys some downtime, right? 

However, when it comes to the work environment, research shows that the majority of workers have some unused holiday at the end of the year. Not taking a holiday can upset your physical and mental health. We list several health benefits of taking a holiday that prove you should take them seriously. 

1. Reduces stress Stress can help people get work done under pressure, but experts have noted that 80% of workers are stressed on the job, and 70% of their trips to a healthcare provider are because of stress-related conditions. Studies have shown that taking a holiday helps keep good health intact and prevents burnout. 

2. Increases creativity Taking a vacation boosts creativity—a change of pace allows people to see their everyday world differently. People experience clearer thinking as well as increased creatively after disconnecting from their work environment for a sustained period of time. 

3. Boosts emotional stability Too much time at the office (whether you work long hours or refuse to take a holiday) can leave you feeling frustrated. Getting away from it all, however, can ward off the potential for inappropriate outbursts or “did I really say that to my colleague?” regrets. 

4. Makes confidence soar Many researchers have noted that people return from a holiday with renewed sense of self. They’re refreshed, and tend to approach projects with more vigour, opting to tackle them with gusto rather than settling for easy solutions. 

5. Improves your intelligence The human body requires downtime; when people ignore its natural cycle of alertness and fatigue (which come in 90 minute periods), they’re dismissing the body’s need to reboot. Small breaks are good, but longer getaways allow you to fully recharge, which improves mental alertness. 

6. Improves low moods Taking a break from deadlines and high-pressure environments fights stress. Altering your mind by taking a holiday can shift irritable, depressed or anxiety-ridden moods to ones that are more calm and relaxed. 

7. Fights colds and infections While it might sound too good to be true, getting away from it all helps keep your body healthy. It’s been proven that continual, or chronic, stress can gravely compromise bodily function. Even the genetic material in cells can become disrupted under too much stress. 

8. Strengthens relationships Time spent with a partner or family members during holidays allows you to bond with these people in ways that transcend the usual “how was your day?” discussions. Experts have discovered that time together in the form of a holiday builds personal bonds and increases family connectedness. 

9. You’ll save your company money While it might sound strange that time away from work can help your company’s bottom line, there’s some truth to this claim. It’s been found that over-stressed employees may end up being out of work for long periods of time while tending to physical and mental health problems that arose from too much time on the job. So get away! 

10. You might be inspired in new ways Exploring a new area might be just what you need to break away from your usual hobby and discover something different. You never know where inspiration will come from, but it surely won’t be found while you’re engaged in the same environment and seeing the same faces for years without a holiday. 

Time away from the usual routine need not be a grand money-depleting experience in Tokyo or Las Vegas; even the increasing popularity of “staycations” (in which people remain within in their home country) can provide these mental and physical health benefits.